Mexican Chicken Soup

Now, this is a pot of pleasure.

The cooler days and nights of late have been good times to enjoy bowls of hot soups, like the one today, a well flavored, vitamin rich , thick in chicken and savory in taste soup that is as they say, 'good to the last drop.'

The recipe is similar to one I remember making many years ago. I toyed with it in my head during a somewhat cold, damp day and as soon as I got home, I got busy assembling it together, adding this and that until it melded into a taste as pleasurable as I remembered and expected. Enjoy!

Mexican Chicken Soup
rich in flavor and good for you too
about 8-10 servings

2 packs boneless chicken thighs, fat removed (12 thighs)
2 quarts (8 cups) water
3 celery stalks, cut in half
1/2 sweet onion
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder
1 teaspoon Badia complete seasoning or salt seasoning blend
2 carrots, sliced or diced
1 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup chili powder
1 -15.5 oz black beans, drained
1 -15 oz cannellini beans, drained
2 small zucchini, cut into cubes
1 -14.5 oz petite cut tomatoes, with juice
1 cup asst sweet peppers, chopped

In a large stock pot, bring the water, celery and onion to a gentle boil over medium high heat. Add the chicken thighs, the bouillon powder and the seasoning blend. Cover and at first simmer, turn heat to low. All chicken to cook for about 30 minutes.

Remove chicken to a bowl, let cool enough to tear or cut into bite size pieces. Meanwhile, strain the stock and discard the solids. Return stock to the stockpot and add carrots, chopped onion, bell and sweet peppers, cumin, chili powder and the two beans. Allow soup to come to a low simmer and turn heat to low. Cook about 15 minutes.

Add the zucchini, tomatoes. sweet peppers and chicken. Cover and allow to come back to a low simmer. Stir, taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Simmer another 10-15 minutes or until beans and vegetables are tender.

Serve with hot cornbread muffins, pepper-jack cornbread or bread of choice.

We added strips of crunchy tortillas to our bowls along with chopped green onions.